


5351 Miles

by space_ally



Category: Watch Dogs (Video Games)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Break Up, Cats, Comfort, Coming In Pants, First Kiss, Gang Violence, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, I will add tags as I go, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, Like, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Making Out, Mild Smut, Nightmares, Not Canon Compliant, Original Character(s), Panic Attacks, Pets, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Proposals, Russian Mafia, Torture, Watch Dogs: Legion, Wrench is a self-destructive asshole, emotional support pet, i still haven't received my copy of legion and i'm bitter, no beta we die like men, overprotective Marcus, probably, really mild, squint and you miss it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:21:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27228766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/space_ally/pseuds/space_ally
Summary: Aiden Pearce wants Wrench on his team in London. Marcus and Wrench have to sort out their newly found feelings for each other: Long-distance style.This is probably not canon compliant but Legion isn't out yet and I couldn't stop thinking about Wrench sneaking away during missions to call his boyfriend.
Relationships: Marcus Holloway & Wrench (Watch Dogs), Marcus Holloway/Wrench (Watch Dogs), Wrench (Watch Dogs)/Naomi the Waitress
Comments: 28
Kudos: 50





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Tags, TWs and warnings will be added as I add chapters and posted before every chapter.
> 
> Enjoy!

The twenty minute call Wrench had gotten and the hours following it had felt like a fever dream at first. Aiden Pearce wanted him on his team. THE Aiden Pearce. He needed an answer in the next hour and Wrench’s ass in London in no later than a week. He had said yes without thinking anything through because he was Wrench and Wrench didn’t think things through. Wrench showed up with a rocket launcher and hoped for the best.

The first person he told was Josh because Josh was standing right next to him when he had gotten the call. Again, Wrench didn’t think much before acting.

Josh was really excited for him and in retrospect he might have been the only one.

Wrench didn’t bother telling Ray by himself, he just told Sitara when Ray was around as well and he barely reacted while Sitara tried her best to fake a smile while she kept asking questions about how long he’d be gone, if he was going to come back, where he would be staying. Questions Wrench didn’t have an answer to. 

Then there was Marcus. 

Wrench had told him over a few beers on the roof of his garage, watching the sun set over San Francisco. Marcus didn’t try and mask his emotions like Sitara, he had gotten really quiet. Of course he was excited for Wrench and the opportunity he got but the thought of him leaving didn’t sit right with the hipster. He had left soon after, a mediocre lie about still having something to do.

Naomi was different.

She was angry, angry at Wrench for not telling her first. For taking an offer he hadn’t talked through with her before. For completely throwing a two year relationship away. Her words. 

“I didn’t think it would change much, you’re used to me going offline for weeks for certain missions, I thought this would be similar just in a different place?” he had tried to reason with her but she wasn’t having it. 

“I can’t do this anymore. You’re a priority to me, Wrench. However you made it really clear that I’m not the same for you. I will always be less important than DedSec. And I deserve better.”

Three more days until his flight. 

The newly-single Wrench would fly to London to work with Aiden Pearce. 

***

“Surprise!”

Wrench almost threw his phone across the room as he jumped in shock at the faces of his friends and self-proclaimed family awaiting him in the Hackerspace, armed with alcohol and anecdotes. 

The surprise going away party had been Sitara’s idea because she knew Wrench would never have agreed to one if he knew about it. She was right. 

The room was filled with a bunch of DedSec allies he had worked with over the years, some he hadn’t seen in ages, as well as of course, the whole crew.

“Naomi didn’t answer my calls. I’m sorry,” Sitara apologised as she saw Wrench’s look wander around the room, clearly searching for his girlfriend. Ex-girlfriend, he corrected himself. 

The later it got, the drunker Wrench got, the less people stuck around until it was just the five of them left. Josh was the first one to excuse himself, closely followed by Ray. Sitara stayed for another hour before she got a call from someone who needed her help and left as well, leaving Marcus and Wrench.

Wrench was staring holes in the ground. It was quiet, with Sitara, the music was gone as well and for the first time in forever, there was an uncomfortable silence stretching between him and his best friend. 

“Wanna watch a Siska movie?” Marcus suggested but Wrench shook his head. Everything felt shaky and he probably couldn’t handle a neon-coloured action movie right now. 

“Can we get some air?” he asked instead and Marcus agreed. He had to be at least as drunk as Wrench, if not drunker. Wrench had seen him drink all night. He hadn’t meant to watch him, it had just… happened.

They walked all the way to the garage, almost on autopilot as they found themselves back on the rooftop. The sun would rise in an hour and the air was chilly but not too cold. It was late fall and next week they’d probably shiver in their sweaters but right now, the wind was refreshing and the air smelled of crispy autumn leaves. 

Next week seemed years away even though for Wrench it was barely two more days. 

“I didn’t see Naomi at the party,” Marcus filled the silence, staring into the distance. 

Marcus heard the clacking sound of Wrench’s mask hitting the roof next to them, as well as the deep breath the other man took following it. 

“Yeah, she broke up with me,” his answer came, voice not distorted by the usual electronics. 

“Shit, I’m sorry to hear that, man.”

Marcus let his knee fall against Wrench’s, trying to comfort him while keeping some sort of personal space. Wrench taking off his mask around him was still a weird phenomenon but apparently the anarchist trusted him enough to do so and he was not going to question it. In fact, he appreciated it. He just wasn’t sure if it was okay for him to look at his friend for longer than a few seconds at a time but he didn’t plan on asking, just kept their dance around each other like a treasured ritual. 

He would miss it, once Wrench was in London. He would miss Wrench. 

“It’s fine, she was right. She said DedSec was always more important to me than our relationship and it’s true. She deserves way better and I took her for granted. I hope she’ll meet someone else who will treat her better. Someone less… me, I guess.”

“Oh…” was all Marcus could say. 

Wrench laughed but not without a little bitterness to it. 

“Plus, she’ll probably appreciate not being woken up by my nightmares every night,” he tried to get his words across as a joke but failed to do so. 

Marcus was too drunk to stop himself from turning his head and staring right at his best friend, captured by Wrench’s piercing blue eyes. He could recognise the sadness in them and the tiniest part of Marcus, the part that he pushed down whenever he was around Wrench, was jealous. Jealous of Naomi being the one Wrench felt about so strongly. 

Ever since the two of them had gotten together, hanging out with Wrench had always resulted in Marcus hating himself for his jealousy. Right now, the jealousy mixed with anger. Anger about her making Wrench feel like this. 

The anarchist suddenly turned his head, returning Marcus’ stare. 

“I’m not mad at her but I wouldn’t have changed anything either. You guys are my family and I would die for each one of you.”

Marcus' breath got caught in his throat.

He didn’t think, as he leaned in closer. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the sunrise slowly tinting everything in a golden glow, making Wrench’s eyes shine even more. Maybe it was the knowledge that his best friend and unrequited crush was going to leave the country in two days. 

His head was screaming at him to stop, to back away, but his heart seemed to magnetically connect the two of them, driving them closer together until they were only inches away from each other. 

Wrench’s hand was suddenly resting on top of his own between them and Marcus felt electric. 

“I’m really drunk,” Marcus confessed, his eyes flicking up and down between Wrench’s lips and his eyes. 

“Me too,” the other man replied quietly and Marcus could in fact smell the alcohol between them. He didn’t care. 

“Too drunk as in ‘you will regret this’?” Marcus asked as he felt Wrench’s other hand on his cheek, gently palming it. 

“I could never regret you.”

The world was still tinted in gold, even when Marcus closed his eyes and the distance between them and it felt like his heart bursted as their lips connected. 

Wrench tasted of cheap beer, his lips were chapped and he could feel the calluses on the hand on his cheek and it was absolutely perfect. He didn’t dare to breathe or open his eyes, too scared this was all a dream and only a fleeting memory as soon as he came back to reality. 

Wrench’s hand on his let go and left a coldness Marcus couldn’t explain, like a part of him was suddenly missing but it just cupped his other cheek as the anarchist deepened the kiss, sighing against his lips. 

Marcus’ hands found Wrench’s hips, hidden underneath his thick sweatshirt, and he pulled him closer, feeling lightheaded. He didn’t realise how lighthearted he actually was until Wrench’s hands held him as he was leaning backwards. 

“Shh, breathe,” Wrench whispered, uncharacteristically soft, as he gently laid him down so Marcus was looking up at him. 

“I’m sorry,” he apologised and he wasn’t sure if he meant the kiss. 

“I’m not.”

Wrench’s lips were back on his and Marcus was sure his heart was beating so loudly, the other man had to hear it as well but Wrench’s leg was right between his and his weight on top of him had the power to empty his head completely. 

“This okay?” Wrench asked, audibly out of breath and Marcus just nodded and stretched his neck so the anarchist could get better access to it, his butterfly-like kisses making the other man shudder, while his hips kept pressing against him, moving slowly. 

A hint of embarrassment ghosted over Marcus as Wrench brought his hips down in the perfect way and he jolted against him as his orgasm washed over him. 

“Fuck, I’m-” he tried to apologise at the same time as he tried to regain his breath but Wrench just shook his head, the shadow of the smallest smile on his lips. 

“You’re breathtakingly beautiful, Marcus Holloway,” the usually masked hacker murmured and pressed another kiss to the other man’s lips, his tongue slipping beneath them, exploring his mouth, only for a second, before he pulled away. 

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

***

The remaining two days passed in a blur between breathtaking kisses, makeout sessions, takeout food and packing and as Marcus stood right in front of Wrench, staring at him through his masks, their hands linked, he felt like the world stood still for a moment. 

It was Sunday night and the airport seemed deserted apart from a couple saying their goodbyes, a few single travellers and the DedSec crew. 

“Text us when you’re landed. And when you get to your flat. And when you meet Aiden. And- Just text us,” Sitara started babbling and Marcus let go of Wrench’s hands so she could pull him into a hug. 

“You’ll all be asleep when I land,” Wrench laughed but returned the hug. 

“Thank you. For everything,” he added, just loud enough for Sitara to hear. He hoped it would convey his feelings. If she hadn’t taken him in years ago, he wouldn’t be standing here today. 

They separated and Sitara brushed a tear from her cheek. 

“Bye, son,” Ray said and stretched out his hand for Wrench to shake it. 

Wrench took it, “You watch out for them.”

He then pulled Josh into a brief hug, messing up his hat with his hand as he let go. 

“And you don’t let these idiots boss you around!” he threatened playfully and Josh rolled his eyes, smiling. 

“We’ll wait for you in the car,” Sitara whispered to Marcus as she grabbed the other two men and led them to the exit, not without waving goodbye again. No one had been particularly surprised when they had stumbled upon Marcus and Wrench kissing in the Hackerspace the day before, in fact, Sitara had snatched a dollar bill from Ray, telling him “I told you so”. 

“No turning back now, huh?” Marcus joked and Wrench grabbed a hold of his hands again. 

“You’re absolutely sure you want to do this?” the anarchist asked and Marcus felt how clammy his hands were. 

He nodded. 

“I have waited for this for so long, I will not let a mere 5351 miles ruin it.”

“Did you nudle that?”

“I absolutely did.”

They shared a laugh, still looking at each other, not sure what to say.

The speakers blared out Wrench’s flight number and let them know his flight was ready to board and Wrench’s grip on Marcus’ hands tightened. 

“I’m not sure I can do this. If I can leave you here,” he confessed. Marcus let go of his hands to cup his face and shake the anarchist’s head. 

“Nope, not going down that route. This is a life-changing opportunity for you and you deserve it. I’ll still be here. We’ll talk on the phone and video chat and I’m sure this mission won’t go on forever. You’ll be back home sooner than you think.”

“Come with me.”

Marcus frowned.

“I can’t, babe. And you know that.”

Wrench nodded, sighing. 

The speakers repeated Wrench’s flight number.

“I love you.”

Marcus’ heart jumped. 

“I love you too. Now go, catch your flight before you miss it!”

Wrench shoved up his mask just far enough to be able to press a chaste kiss to Marcus’ lips before he slipped it back down, took his backpack and walked in the direction of the gate. 

He turned around one final time and waved. Marcus smiled at him and waved back. He was crying and so was Wrench. 

***

It was raining when Wrench arrived. He tried calling Marcus but he didn’t pick up. He was probably asleep anyway.

***

London was different. London DedSec was different. Maybe it was because he was an outsider, someone no one was sure they could trust yet. Maybe it was his mask. 

Wrench felt like he was intruding half of the time, the other half of the time he felt belittled and like he had to hide his personality. 

Aiden told him he liked his work ethics and let the other members know he planned for Wrench to stay on the job for longer but Aiden was practically a ghost, rarely around. 

The anarchist convinced himself it was just homesickness. He did miss the Hackerspace, the sounds, the easy chatter, his friends, well, family. 

He also missed Marcus. They did talk on the phone at least once a week and usually video chatted two or three times as well but Wrench missed being physically close to him. It didn’t help that he was constantly cold and/or soaked from the miserable weather while San Francisco seemed to have a beautifully mild fall. 

Fall, that turned into winter. 

“I got your package, fuck, Wrench, that collector’s edition of Siska movies is absolutely stunning, how did you even find it?!” Marcus held up the box set to the camera and Wrench laughed, warmth bubbling in his stomach.

“I had to figure something out, I feel terrible for not being there on your birthday. Are you having a good time?” he let his chin rest on his palms, not able to take his eyes off of Marcus. 

The hacker laughed, showing his teeth while doing so, as Sitara came into the frame, one arm slung around his shoulders. Wrench ignored the jealousy over such a simple touch. He hadn’t had any physical contact with anyone in two months. 

“Wrenchyboy, so how is it looking, are you coming home for Christmas?”

Marcus burst into laughter, “Wrenchyboy?”

“Please never do that again, Sitara,” Wrench replied, nauseating guilt settling in his stomach. Aiden had made the timetable really clear. No way was he getting out of it.

“Anyways, I miss my favourite pyromaniac, I feel like we haven’t blown shit up in ages. So, can we count you in for the DedSec patchwork Christmas dinner?”

Wrench let his head hang low.

“Oh,” Sitara said, not trying to hide her disappointment. Marcus wasn’t smiling anymore either. 

“I guess there’s no point in asking about New Year’s, is there?”

Wrench shook his head at Marcus’ question, biting his lip beneath his mask.

“Apparently New Year’s is the perfect opportunity for a major operation against some corrupt politician, I don’t know. They said they’d need me.”

Sitara pursed her lips and left the frame again, probably to go tell the others. Marcus sighed. 

“I get it. I’ll talk to her, don’t worry.”

“Thank you…”

Marcus nodded before he asked: “How are you doing by the way? Is working with Aiden everything you’ve hoped for and more?”

Wrench knew Marcus was trying to lighten the mood and make him feel better but instead he felt worse. He was letting down his friends for a job he couldn’t stand. 

He had figured that out a week ago, figured out it was not just homesickness, he actually hated his job in the London DedSec group. He had to communicate everything through multiple people, wasn’t allowed to act on his own and if he fucked up, there were punishments tied to that. He actually hadn’t blown up shit in ages either because here they ‘frowned upon’ it. 

“Wrench?”

“Yeah, sorry, sure, it’s great,” he lied. 

Marcus nodded again but he didn’t seem convinced. 

“I gotta go soon, I just want you to know I love you and I miss you.”

“Before you go! Would you do me a small favour?”

Wrench tilted his head questioningly. 

“Would you take off your mask? Only for a minute or so? I miss seeing you… And your face.”

Wrench swallowed hard. 

“For me?” Marcus added, “As a birthday favour?”

Damn this man. He knew Wrench couldn’t say no to those eyes. 

He reached around his head and unfastened the buckles, letting the mask fall into his hands, slowly lifting his head and returning Marcus’ look. 

The hipster gasped in shock. 

Wrench knew his face wasn’t pretty. He knew about the dried blood around his freshly broken nose, knew about the black eye and the split lip. Marcus didn’t of course.

“What the fuck, Wrench, what happened?”

He waved it off with a flick of his wrist. 

“Prime_Eight exists over here as well, kind of, at least. It’s fine, we got them back. Anyways, I gotta run. Talk to you soon?” he put his mask back on quickly, not allowing any objections. 

“Please be careful. I miss you too.”

“Love you!” Wrench replied before he ended the call. He needed a drink.

***

"Hey babe, I feel like it's been ages since we've talked! I'm guessing you've been busy?" Marcus' voice was cheerful and unbothered. Wrench pictured him lounging on the sofa in the Hackerspace, maybe drinking a beer, relaxing after a long day of work. 

It was past 8pm in San Francisco which meant it was past 2am in London but Wrench's sleeping schedule was practically nonexistent at this point so he didn't really care. He just needed to hear his boyfriend's voice, feel the warmth rush over him that he always felt when hearing him talk or seeing him. Or kissing him, god, how he missed kissing him.

"Wrench? Are you still here?"

Wrench shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Yes, sure, sorry M. Just… Lost in thoughts for a sec. How was your day?"

Marcus then went on to practically perform his last chat with Sitara, Josh and Ray, still laughing about Ray getting two proverbs mixed up and Josh adopting it while Sitara just shook her head laughing about them. 

Wrench enjoyed the story, not for the sake of the story, but for Marcus who kept bursting into laughter. For the knowledge that his life kept going even without him in San Francisco. Because he knew DedSec was their family and they were going to watch out for Marcus, keep him safe and make him laugh. 

Wrench brushed a single tear away.

"You're really quiet today, are you sure everything is fine?" Marcus asked and the concern in his voice made Wrench's stomach turn. 

"I'm sorry babe, I haven't gotten much sleep lately and we're preparing for a major operation starting in about an hour so everything is kind of… A lot," he confessed, couldn't bear the thought of leading Marcus on. 

"Do you have to help? I know you love what you do but you've practically been working nonstop, I think they'll understand if you're going to sit this one out…"

Wrench laughed drily.

"’Frisco might know the Wrench and his work but here I'm practically starting at zero again. Today is a field day, I gotta prove myself in combat and breaking and entering. If I'm successful, they'll let me tinker with tech again."

"Wait, combat? Wrench you're not trained in that at all, what weapons are you taking?" the worry in his voice grew stronger.

"I'm not allowed to take any with me. Don't worry, M. I got a crash course plus I've been bullied mercilessly in highschool, I know how to throw a punch," he paused, balling his shaking hand into a first, "I miss you."

Marcus didn't seem convinced by his arguments and a small part of Wrench regretted calling him and telling him the truth. Well, parts of the truth. 

He wasn't going to tell him how his body was still aching from the last mission. How he had been taken hostage before. How he hadn't slept for a week because it's basically impossible to fall asleep while being tortured. 

He also didn't want to tell him how he was absolutely terrified of this next mission, panic attacks and flashbacks keeping him on edge ever since he had gotten out. How he was barely holding himself together and needed this call just to hear Marcus' voice once more because he feared it would be the last time. 

"Wrench…"

The anarchist stayed quiet, scared his voice might break should he try to reply. 

"Tell me you're okay. Be honest with me. I need to know you're okay."

Wrench cleared his throat. 

"I gotta go. I love you."

He didn't have the heart to lie to Marcus and he knew that Marcus knew that as well. 

His phone started ringing angrily as his boyfriend tried to call him back and Wrench's hands were violently shaking when he rejected the call and turned the device off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a dumb theory that (for me) proves that Wrench is canonically trans and I will die on this hill.
> 
> Marcus' birthday is December 11th if you didn't know btw.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: panic attack

“Marcus, would you hold on for a second, I’m talking to you?! Marcus I said stop!” Sitara grabbed the hacker by his arms and forced him to stop and look at her. 

“He’ll be fine, he’s a grown-up. We need you here, focused. He wouldn’t want you in danger, especially not because of him. Do you understand?”

Marcus was trying to object but Sitara immediately interrupted him: “I asked you if you understood.”

He nodded but the minute she let go of him he resumed pacing. 

“I know he’s in trouble. You didn’t see him, Sitara. Last week he was all beaten up and bruised and today he was all quiet and sad. And he acted all weird like… Like this was a goodbye call or shit like that. Fuck, was it? Sitara, do you think he’d do that?”

A panicked look on his face Marcus was staring at her like a deer caught in headlights. She wished she could tell him that Wrench wouldn’t do anything too reckless but this was Wrench they were talking about, practically the personification of reckless. One time Sitara had caught him listing possible ways for him to leave this world to Josh, 90 percent of that list had to do with explosions and heavy arms. 

“What do you want to do, Marcus, huh? He’s on a different continent. You can’t just take the next flight to the UK and look for him!”

They were looking at each other and realisation dawned on Sitara. 

“I hope you’re joking.”

Marcus shook his head before his face took a pleading expression.

“Do you really need me here? I’d be gone for no longer than three days. I promise. As soon as I know he’s okay I’ll head back. Please? As a birthday favour?”

“Your birthday was over a week ago, stop using that as blackmail. Does it really matter if I say no?” Sitara sighed, Marcus was still waiting for the rest of the sentence. 

“Alright, go find your boyfriend, you pining nerd. Make sure he’s okay. Give him a hug from all of us.”

Marcus rushed over and almost crushed Sitara with his hug before he ran up the stairs, barely hearing her call after him: “Him, not me! And be careful!”

She just rolled her eyes and folded her arms in front of her chest.

***

It had taken almost all of the day of Marcus’ arrival to locate the British DedSec headquarters. His feet and head hurt, his phone was out of battery and his hands were cold as ice when he finally entered the correct building. 

Someone with purple hair and a sidecut stopped him from entering further, examining him closer before asking: “Retr0?”

A relieved feeling washed over him. He had finally found the right place. 

“Yeah, that’s me. I’m sorry, and you are?”

“Honeybadger but call me Honey. They/them pronouns. I’m sorry if that comes off as rude but what the bloody hell are you doing over here?”

He shook the hand Honeybadger had extended to greet him, smiling warmly. He had definitely heard of their work. 

“I’m looking for my- I’m looking for The Wrench?”

Honey took out their smartphone, tapped a few buttons and held it up to their ear. 

“Yeah, I’m here with Retr0. Yes,  _ the _ Retr0. Does anyone have intel on the new kid? Wrench?” they waited for a moment, listening to the reply to their question. 

“Are you fucking with me? And no one has been sent out to look for him?”

Marcus felt an unsettling feeling in his stomach. 

“Yes, mark me as absent. Alright. No, I’ll keep you posted. Bye.”

Honey ended the call and looked up to Marcus, who was at least a foot taller than them.

“I have his last known location. Apparently he didn’t come back but they didn’t notice until now. He’s usually pretty quiet, I guess they didn’t realise he wasn't there. I’m sorry.”

Marcus bit his bottom lip, he felt his heart race in his chest. Wrench and quiet?

“I’ll show you where you can put your luggage and charge your phone, then I’ll take you there and we’ll look for him together, yes? By the way how long has it been since you’ve last eaten?”

Marcus followed Honey through the hallways on the ground floor until they reached a small room.

“I don’t think I can eat anything until I know he’s safe.”

Honey nodded and took Marcus’ bag from him while he hooked up his phone to the charger.

“I get it. My girlfriend didn’t come back from her last mission. Do you need a minute? Maybe to change or something? If I were you I’d put on another sweater, it gets awfully chilly as soon as the sun sets.”

“Did she come back?” Marcus asked as he shook off his jacket, grabbed a grey sweatshirt from his bag and pulled it over his head. 

Honey shook their head. 

“She didn’t make it.”

***

They practically combed through the streets in an eight mile radius from Wrench’s last location and with every minute they didn’t find a trace of him, Marcus’ head came up with worse scenarios of what might have happened to him. 

He kept ignoring Sitara’s calls because he didn’t know what to tell her, instead he texted her that he would call her later, hoping not to worry her as much this way. 

“Retr0- I mean Marcus, come take a look at this,” Honey let him know, hunched over something on the ground. 

He jogged up to them and knelt down as well. It was blood. There was blood on the ground. 

“Maybe I shouldn’t have told you about Rheza…” Honey avoided Marcus’ eyes, instead started looking around for CCTV to hack into the feed.

“Maybe it’s not his…” the hacker tried to calm himself down but his words seemed to echo in his heart without sticking. 

He joined Honey on their search but it was cut short when he found a hooded figure passed out against a garbage container half a block from where they had found the blood. 

“I’ve found him!” he quickly let Honey know before he rushed towards Wrench. 

Scared to touch him he started scanning his body for injuries as best as he could as it was dark in the alley. There was blood oozing through Wrench’s left pant leg and the cold had turned his fingers a ghostly shade of white. If Marcus didn’t see the weak rise and fall of the other’s chest, he would have thought he was dead. 

“Wrench? Can you hear me?” he asked, his voice was shaking. He wanted to take off his mask but didn’t dare to do so.

Honey appeared behind the two of them, calling the news in.

“They’re sending us a car,” they let Marcus know but he barely reacted, his hands were holding Wrench’s, trying his best to warm him up without hurting him. 

“He’s breathing but not responding.”

Honey knelt down next to them, letting their eyes wander over the unconscious man. 

"That's probably for the best right now, he's been out here for a while," they turned Wrench's leg lightly to get a better look at it, "He'll be alright. It's a large cut but not very deep. We need to take off his mask in HQ and check for other injuries and rule out a concussion but I'm confident."

Marcus nodded, swallowing his response. Instead he wrapped his arms around Wrench, carefully as not to hurt him, while continuing his effort to warm him up.

"He's not just a co-worker, is he?" Honey asked and lit up a cigarette, taking a long drag and exhaling the smoke as far from the two men as possible. 

"We're dating. Long distance. It's complicated."

Honey nodded. 

"He's a good one. Very loyal. Got his head in the clouds a lot and doesn't talk much but I've seen what he can do with a stapler and some explosives. It's a shame Aiden won't let him use his talents."

They took another drag. 

"He doesn't?"

Honey shook their head, watching the smoke vanish into the cold December air.

"He's trying to train us equally in all fields. Boy told him he didn't want to be part of that last infiltration but Aiden didn't listen. We barely got him out in one piece but he refused to give us up, not even when tortured for a week."

Marcus felt like all breath had been knocked out of him.

"He was tortured?"

Honey stubbed out their cigarette, pulling a face: "Fuck, he didn't tell you? I'm sorry, I didn't mean- The car is here."

Marcus didn't have any troubles lifting and carrying Wrench to the car which worried him as he thought a grown man should be heavier to lift. He spent the entire drive in the backseat with him, hands brushing through his messy hair hidden under the hood of his sweater, wondering what else he hadn't told him.

***

Wrench was sure he was dead. He kept hearing Marcus’ voice on the edge of his consciousness, heard Marcus say his name and talk to him in a hushed voice. 

He just always thought death would feel painless. He was in a lot of pain actually. His leg hurt like a bitch, there was a dull ache in his chest and a blinding headache. His entire face hurt and he lifted his arms to feel around blindly trying to take off his mask but couldn’t find it. 

Shocked and frightened he opened his eyes and felt pulled back to reality. Maybe he wasn’t actually dead. 

He was laying on his back, his view an ashy gray roof with metal struts and he corrected himself. 

Maybe he wasn’t dead but still ended up in hell. 

He didn’t dare to take in the room, too scared to be back in the awful place he had been detained in before. Too scared to let anyone know he was awake and ready to be tortured until he would pass out again. 

He couldn’t help the panic rising up, he felt like the walls were coming in, closer and closer, ready to crush him. The thought of never getting to see Marcus again caused tears to spill and run down the sides of his face. He tried to muffle his sobs but it felt like there was not enough air to properly breathe and it only worsened his silent crying. 

Something next to him moved and Wrench tried his hardest to breathe away the panic and the tears but it was no use. Someone was bending over him and his heart was beating out of his chest as he prepared for more pain. 

“Fuck, babe, what is going on?” Marcus was staring at him, his thumbs catching Wrench’s tears as he caressed his cheeks. 

Jolting up, Wrench wrapped himself around the other man, squeezing him as tightly as he could, breathing in his scent. He was real. Marcus was here, with him. And he was real. 

“Wrench-” Marcus tried to escape the man’s firm grasp but failed. He would be lying if he said he didn’t instantly relax knowing Wrench was still with him. 

They stayed like this for minutes, turning into an hour quickly. Eventually, Wrench’s sobs had quieted down and his grip weakened a little. Marcus peeled away only to get a better look at the other man’s face, taken aback by the new cuts and bruises. 

“Why didn’t you tell me the truth?” the hipster asked, feeling a lump form in his throat. He hated to see Wrench like this. 

Wrench took a few shuddering breaths, Marcus could tell he was in pain. 

“Can we not do this right now? I just… I need to hold you. Is that okay?”

Marcus sighed and nodded, signalling Wrench to move a little so he could climb into bed with him. He pulled him against his chest, face buried in the other man’s hair. 

“Do you want to talk about what just happened?”

Wrench held onto Marcus’ arms that were slung around his waist. 

“I thought they had taken me in again. I panicked,” Wrench cleared his throat, cuddling closer into Marcus. 

He felt like he could breathe again properly for the first time in over a month.

"Why are you here? I mean it's not like I don't want you here, the opposite actually. I missed you so fucking much."

Marcus pressed a kiss to Wrench's head.

"Your call was really weird and I was worried. And right to be so apparently, what the hell is going on here?"

Wrench turned around to be able to look at Marcus while he also pulled him close, burying his face in his sweater, his arms holding the hipster tightly. 

"They would have found me eventually. It just… happens sometimes. DedSec here is quite big and it's hard to keep track of everyone, especially an outsider you don't fully trust yet."

Marcus brought some room between them, eyebrows raised questioningly as he asked: "An outsider you don't fully trust?! Wrench, Honey told me you were tortured and didn't give them up. If they don't trust you yet, they never will. And I'm worried. You look worse than on your worst days in San Francisco but during those at least the crew was there for you. Is there anyone here you talk to?"

Wrench avoided his eyes, couldn't stand how vulnerable his own face made him seem. He didn't know who had taken his mask but it was only him and Marcus in the room so it was tolerable. However he did want to hide his face right now.

"I… I talk to you guys on the phone or on video…"

Bringing one hand up to Wrench's chin, Marcus made him look back up at him. There were a million things he could have said and wanted to say but it all boiled down to this: "I love you."

He wanted to tell Wrench how mad it made him that the other disregarded himself and his own feelings so much. He wanted to tell him that panic attacks, PTSD and nightmares shouldn't come with your job. He wanted to tell him how much he missed him, his laughter and his touches. How he just wanted him safe. But he didn't. Not with words at least. 

He pressed a gentle kiss to Wrench's lips and was rewarded with the other man kissing back hungrily, pressing against him, his hands wandering over his lower back, travelling lower.

Soft gasps turned into sighs turned into stifled moans as they continued making out and Marcus was obsessed with the noises his boyfriend produced, with the responses he got depending on where he touched him or how and where he kissed him.

Wrench was sucking on his bottom lip, trying to sling a leg around Marcus' as he suddenly let go, groaning in pain at his leg wound.

"Fuck, I completely forgot about that," Marcus said breathlessly, instantly giving Wrench more space, concern shadowing his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Wrench murmured, not without feeling guilty.

"You don't have anything to apologise for, babe."

He pulled Wrench back to his chest carefully, peppering his face with gentle kisses.

"How long are you staying?" Wrench asked, drawing circles on the backs of Marcus' hands. His blue eyes were set on the other man's dark brown ones. 

Marcus sighed, "Three days. By the way I should probably call the others, they were worried about you too."

Wrench groaned and let go of Marcus so he could grab his phone. When he tried to sit up, he felt dizzy so he just laid back down while Marcus got up. 

"What about you, any info on when you might come back?"

The hipster took his phone from the little nightstand in the corner and started dialling, Sitara picked up immediately, answering via video and cutting Wrench’s answer to Marcus’ question short: “I don’t know if-”

"It was about time!" she complained and he wordlessly gave the phone to Wrench. 

"Hey Sit," the anarchist greeted, completely forgetting about the fact that he wasn't wearing his mask. Upon seeing Sitara's eyes widen, he suddenly remembered and almost dropped the phone.

He tossed it back to Marcus who barely caught it. 

“Uhm. I just wanted to let you know I’ve found him… Let me just-” he signalled Wrench that he was coming back soon, not before pointing him in the direction of his mask. He closed the door behind him and walked a few steps further before sitting down on the floor, legs propped up, arms resting on his knees.

“You two look like shit. Especially him.”

“Thank you, how kind of you to say that,” Marcus sassed but it felt good to joke around like that. 

“So let’s cut the smalltalk, what’s going on?”

Marcus sighed deeply. 

“It feels like Wrench left his personality in San Francisco. Apparently he’s so quiet they occasionally forget about him and he’s pretty sure no one really trusts him yet. And to be honest I’m not sure why Aiden wanted Wrench specifically as he’s not working his strengths, they won’t let him.”

Sitara shook her head, not sure what to make of that: “What the hell? Have you talked to him about coming back home? ‘Cause honestly, fuck them, we could use him over here.”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about actually,” Wrench had appeared next to Marcus, standing in the hallway, looking down on his boyfriend still on the phone. He had his mask back on, it displayed the default Xs but the way his arms were folded in front of him suggested a more serious talk coming on. 

“It’s not like I want to interrupt you two but maybe you should check the news,” Sitara said, a sour look on her face. 

Wrench and Marcus exchanged a look before the anarchist slid down to sit next to the hipster who minimised the window with the voice call to be able to check news headlines. It took a moment of scrolling but he did find the reason behind Sitara’s sudden, bad mood. 

Not trusting his eyes he opened the link leading him to the full article. Wrench had gotten back to his feet, angrily kicking the wall in front of him until he was out of breath before continuing his assault with his fists. 

“That can’t be true,” Marcus murmured. 

“It’s real alright,” he heard Ray speak up and maximised the call again. Throwing a worried glance in Wrench’s direction, he told him to stop whatever the fuck he was doing. Not like he listened. 

“Does Josh know?”

Sitara shook her head, “He pulled two allnighters in a row so I sent him home to get some sleep. I won’t wake him up for this shit, I’ll tell him when he gets here. You know what that means, though, don’t you?”

Wrench had stopped attacking the walls and furniture to come crashing down next to Marcus again, breathing heavily. 

“It means I have to come home. We can’t let that happen. Nemec should be behind bars, not walking around as a free man,” Marcus summarised, “Someone must have tinkered with his charges, no way that they’d all be dropped like this.”

“I’ll get Josh to investigate and I’ll start working on a new video message. You get your ass back here. And Wrench?”

The masked man moved closer so he could look at Marcus’ phone screen. 

“It would be really helpful to have you back here as well.”

“I can’t…” he murmured and Marcus felt his heart sink, “Pearce needs me here. I’m sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will I ever write a fic where my faves don't suffer? Yee, probably not.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up: this chapter is a little shorter than the other two and we're nearing the end of the story! Also Wrench is a depressed Bitch and someone should tell him.

In retrospect Marcus was really glad Wrench had managed Sitara to let Marcus catch some sleep before going back, the wave of adrenaline that had kept him awake had left him as soon as he knew Wrench was okay and he felt the Jetlag hard.

The bad thing about his longer stay was the awkward conversation with Wrench that was doomed to happen. They both knew they had to talk but none of them wanted to actually do so which ended in both of them going to bed, Marcus falling asleep instantly while the anarchist stayed awake until their alarm rang in the morning.

The drive to the airport was quiet as well.

Marcus tried holding Wrench's hand as they left the car in the parking area of Heathrow Airport but the masked hacker held onto his phone with both of his hands, deep in thoughts. 

Feeling a strange sense of déjà-vu as they stood in the Departure hall, Marcus tried to speak up at the same time Wrench did. They laughed it off without any honesty behind it and Marcus caught Wrench's hands with his, despite the phone in them.

"If you could talk to Pearce, tell him-" Marcus began but Wrench shook his head, cutting him off. 

"Let's not do that now."

Marcus nodded, grinding his teeth. Just because he agreed didn't mean he was happy with it. 

"I'll text you when I land," the hipster promised, squeezing his partner's hands. 

Wrench nodded, a slight tremor in his hands.

"Are you just gonna let me go without kissing me goodbye?" Marcus joked, "I don't know how long it will be until-"

He was shut up by Wrench who had pushed up his mask and almost tackled Marcus with his kiss. 

Unlike his usual kisses this one was neither gentle nor soft. There was a breathlessness in it, a desperation Marcus couldn't explain. It was the first time in his life he had been kissed like that, like it was the last time. 

His heart started racing as Wrench stumbled backwards, his eyes no longer hidden behind the mask but filled with sadness and… regret?

"You said you'd never regret me," Marcus whispered, an empty stare on the man who had pulled his mask back down, the leds off. Unreadable.

He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and suddenly it made sense, why Wrench had been holding on to his phone like sensitive explosives. 

Marcus reached for the device but saw Wrench shake his head.

_Not now._

He didn't have to say it. 

A sad wave of his hand was all he saw of Wrench before he vanished. 

***

Eleven hours. Eleven hours of sitting in this seat, thinking about the message Wrench had sent him. Eleven hours of not being able to reply. 

***

_Marcus. M. My saviour. That sounds really solemn, I'm sorry, I'm not good with words but you know that. I'm not good at serious talks either because I never had to be, also it ruins my thing, you know, the witty, mysterious, handsome stranger act. Ugh. I'm sorry._

_I am sorry. I can't even say how sorry I am._

_I didn't expect to fall in love with you, especially not this much. It feels like a beautiful, perfect, kind train called Marcus Holloway hit me with full speed and swiped me off my feet. And no amount of barricading, no spikes, no masks could weaken the impact._

_I should have known better. I should have known that someone like me could never be so lucky to end up with you. You're everything and more and you deserve everything and more, not some coward who can't tell you his feelings face to face._

_I can't come back to San Francisco._

_London is a new beginning, a beginning of a life free of my past. I don't expect you to understand but I've made some mistakes and they've haunted me for the past years. I couldn't tell anyone and still can't but coming here, it broke the circle._

_I know you have family in San Francisco and I would never ask to turn your back on them which is why I think it's better this way with you back home and me over here. You can call me selfish, you can hate me for it and I understand. I just can't drag you into this. You deserve better._

_Sitara's gonna lose her shit and she has every right to do so, I owe her a lot, but her anger might be good. It will make it easier._

_Don't take this the wrong way, please. I do love you. In fact so much it almost kills me to let you go but there is no other way._

~~_I wish I could explain_ ~~

_I'm sorry. I know this is pathetic. But what else did anyone expect..._

_Wrench_

***

Wrench was staring into the grey clouds in the grey sky, his mask safely tucked away in the inside pocket of his vest as the rain was falling onto his skin like tiny droplets of ice. 

His face was tingling from the sensation of the cold rain water mixed with his hot tears. He felt the chilly London air deep in his chest whenever he took a breath.

His sneakers were completely soaked, his feet cold and his nose burning from the water that kept falling into it as he let out a scream that made his voice break.

He was painfully aware of being alive. 

***

"I'm going to end him. I'll fucking murder him. Watch me fly to London to go and stab him to death," Sitara was walking up and down the Hackerspace, fuming. Ray had tried to calm her down but failed to do so quite spectacularly. 

Marcus was laying on the couch, trying his best to stay awake, cursing time zones and long flights. He told himself he was too tired to sort out his feelings and he knew he was lying to himself but Sitara and Josh reacted enough for the whole team. 

Josh sat in his corner, hugging his legs, humming absentmindedly. They all knew he was bad with change though he seemed the most collected out of all of them apart from Ray. 

"He was like a deserted puppy when he first got here, a puppy addicted to adrenaline who was constantly on the verge of a nervous breakdown. And the minute he's independent he forgets about us. Fuck!" Sitara sent a bunch of clutter on Wrench's workbench to the ground. 

Ray cleared his throat, testing the waters. This time, Sitara didn't throw anything his way so he decided to speak up.

"Shouldn't we be focusing on Nemec? I mean I get it, you're all mad and shit but it's not like we can change anything right now but we could channel your anger and disappointment into taking down The Douche."

Josh got up from his seat in the corner and nodded, "He's right."

Sitara took a deep breath. 

"Marcus?"

Yes, what was Marcus thinking? He couldn't say. He felt like his heart had just been ripped out of his chest, he was disappointed, hurt, angry and tired. Parts of him wanted to tell the team how he gave zero fucks about Nemec right now. But he could never let them down, not like Wrench did. 

"Let's take the fucker down for good."

***

Honey was lounging on the foot of Wrench's bed, twirling their purple hair around their fingers, seeming bored while Wrench was changing into dry clothes. 

"Where did your handsome friend go?" they asked, chewing on some gum. They tried to quit smoking like three times a day every day which really spoke for how well that plan usually went.

"Back home."

"Oh. You two are really cute together."

"We're not together. Not anymore," Wrench tried to hide the shaking of his voice but without his mask he failed miserably. 

Honey turned around, looking straight at the shirtless man in shock. They could only see his back, covered in tattoos and scars. 

Wrench quickly pulled his sweatshirt over his head, realising too late that it was one of Marcus' that he had given to him before he had left for London. Shaking off the feelings the simple item of clothing produced, he reached for his mask, still damp, and put it back on before finally facing his company. 

Honey had been sitting in front of his door when he came back, completely drenched and miserable. He had tried to get them to leave but right now he was actually quite glad not to be alone. He didn't trust himself to be alone right now.

"Are you fucking stupid?” Honey asked and Wrench's masks displayed question marks. 

"Excuse me?"

"I asked whether you are fucking stupid," they gestured Wrench to sit down on the bed as well. He was too surprised to object. 

"A blind person could tell you how much in love you two are! Life is so fucking short and you're wasting something like this? Fucking hell, Wrench, you absolute moron! Do you have any idea how rare connections like the one you two have are?!"

Wrench didn't know what to say, he didn't expect to be yelled at like that. He definitely deserved it and he knew that, he just didn't expect it. 

"I've had that once. Exactly once in my life. Rheza was my everything. The night she didn't come home I had made dinner for the two of us. I was waiting for her to come home because I was planning to propose. But I waited too long," Honey angrily brushed the tears from their cheeks, glaring at Wrench.

"This is different."

"How? How is it different?! You both are in danger constantly. You can't know if you'll live to see next week. You can't know if you'll see each other again. And you just go and fuck it up!"

"He's in San Francisco and I'm here, we're too far away from each other! I want him to be happy with someone close. Someone better," Wrench tried to justify his actions. 

Honey punched him against his upper arm frustratedly. 

"What if he doesn't want someone better, what if he wants you?! No one is forcing you to stay here either, everyone knows you're miserable!"

"I can't go back, okay?! Not everything is as simple as you think it is!"

Honey's anger left as soon as it had appeared as they heard the sincerity in Wrench's voice. 

"Why?"

Wrench's hands started shaking. The other hacker put a hand on his thigh, trying to comfort him. 

"I fucked up. Someone from ages ago found out about my new identity and they threatened to ruin everything important to me unless I promised not to come back. I'm not a good person, I did some really bad things. I can't let Marcus get pulled into that. I can't let anything bad happen to my family. So I rather have them hate me for leaving than have them in danger."

"Is that where you got these scars?" Honey asked quietly. 

Wrench nodded. He was still shaking. 

"So let's do something about it. You're not alone in this, Wrench. A lot of us here really like you and we like working with you. Plus Aiden practically owes you this. Let's do this."

Wrench hid his masked face in his hands, shaking his head, desperately trying to find the words for what he was feeling. 

"I can't, they're… I'm-"

”Scared?"

"They made me feel so small, so insignificant. I'm not sure I can do this again. I'm not sure I can stand up to them."

Honey grabbed his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. 

"This time it's different. This time you're not alone. And DedSec is bigger than ever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Watch me casually adding nonbinary rep to random fanfics yeehaw


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: panic attack

He didn’t mean to do it. He knew it was wrong to do it, an invasion of privacy. He just needed to make sure he was okay.

He hadn’t texted him after the landing and Wrench didn’t expect him to, not after sending him that message. None of them had called or texted in two weeks. 

Just like he had hoped for. So why did it hurt so much?

Hacking into Marcus’ phone was easy, especially if you knew Marcus well which Wrench prided himself on. Turning on the camera was a bit of a gamble because he didn’t want Marcus to know he was checking on him but he couldn’t hear anything so it was necessary. 

At least that’s what he told himself.

The sudden knock on the door startled him and made him almost yeet his laptop out of the nearest window. He slammed the device shut before Honey could enter the room, looking at him both confused and suspicious. 

“Spying on your boyfriend?” they joked and Wrench’s eyes widened, his mask betraying him in displaying his reaction for the other hacker to see. 

“Shut up! You were not!” Honey exclaimed and shoved Wrench aside, opening the laptop back up. 

“I just needed to check if he was alright! It’s been a week and no offence but you folks are terrible at news outside of the UK. I barely get any intel!”

“Are you telling me the US does a better job at caring about other countries? That the US has a free, independent press and informs Americans about what’s going on in the world? Do you really want to go there? Hm? Wrench?” they looked at the masked hacker provocatively. When he didn’t answer, they added: “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Honey typed a few commands and the screen filled with a passable video image. 

“Huh, that’s weird…” Wrench said, eyeing the footage, “That’s not his apartment or the Hackerspace but I have never seen him leave his phone out anywhere else.”

“I could set an alarm or something so he comes to pick it up?”

Wrench nodded, focused on the screen, waiting for a hint, some movement to tell him where the phone was and why it wasn’t in Marcus’ pocket, instead broadcasting the roof of an office building. 

“Alright, now we wait.”

They didn’t have to wait for long, it only took 12 seconds for someone to enter the frame and take the device, shutting off the ringing sound it produced. 

“Awaiting a call?” Dušan Nemec asked and Wrench grabbed Honey’s arm in shock. 

The purple haired hacker switched to the back camera and Wrench’s grip tightened. He gasped in shock. 

Marcus was tied to a chair, bleeding, looking absolutely miserable. He avoided Nemec’s look but a big, bulky man in a dark suit slapped him across the face telling him: “Mr. Nemec asked you a question.”

Marcus spat blood to the ground. 

“No,” he said, “I’m not awaiting any calls. I’m not with DedSec anymore.”

Wrench felt on the verge of a panic attack, felt how his thoughts started racing and yelling at him, talking over each other again and again, louder and louder. The one that was the loudest, was the one telling him: “That’s all your fault.”

The screen blurred in front of his eyes but he couldn’t close his eyes, couldn’t blink, couldn’t look away. Technically he was sitting next to Honey but he felt like he was watching himself watch the video transmission, unable to do anything but keep watching as the suited man punched Marcus in the stomach. 

“...Wrench? Wrench!”

He felt Honey’s hands shake him and slowly peeled his eyes away from the screen that had gotten dark without his realisation. How long had he been staring at the dark screen now?

He took a shaking breath and it burned in his chest like the first gasp of air after being underwater for too long. 

“Are you still with me?” Honey asked, less forcefully as they saw the masked hacker’s head move lightly in their direction. 

He wanted to reply, wanted to say something, wanted to get up, get the next cab to the airport, get on the next flight and save Marcus, burn Nemec’s house to the ground but not without making him pay. He opened his mouth but no sound came out, he just slumped forward and started crying without tears, without sound. 

***

Josh’s head shot upwards, searching for Sitara or Ray and settling on the former with his matter of concern.

“Wrench is calling me,” he said and Sitara’s eyes widened. 

He answered the phone without waiting for a reply.

“Hello?”

Sitara watched every reaction on his face, trying to figure out what the subject of their call was but without much luck, Josh’s face didn’t give anything away. 

“No, that’s part of the plan,” Josh said and Sitara raised her arms questioningly. 

Josh added a few noises of approval before he handed the phone to Sitara: “He wants to speak to you.”

She hesitantly took the phone, still confused. 

“You have got some nerve calling like that,” she greeted him. 

“Marcus is in danger. Dušan Nemec is holding him captive. It takes too long for me to get there in time, one of you guys has to go in and get him out.”

Sitara puffed, outraged. 

“Are you kidding me?! You don’t get to bail on us for two weeks and now suddenly call and yell demands at us! You didn’t even have the guts to tell any of us personally, no, you sent a cowardly text and let Marcus deliver the news!”

“Listen, I can’t explain, there’s no time, but I had a reason. I promise I will tell you the whole story as soon as I can but right now Marcus is in danger and I can’t do anything. Please. I don’t know what happened or why he’s without any backup but please, I’m begging you. I just need him to be safe,” Wrench pleaded, voice dripping in desperation. 

Sitara heard a tinny voice from the other side of the line, wherever Wrench was, it was pretty lively. 

“He’s not without backup. It’s all part of the plan,” she replied curtly before she hung up the phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrench.exe has stopped working.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: graphic descriptions of violence, broken bones

Marcus had lost track of time. 

It sounded easy enough, getting into Nemec's business, making him notice him, getting taken in. He didn't expect him to be so hands-on and persistent though. 

However, that actually worked out in their favour because Marcus had his undivided attention while the rest of his team was working their asses off. 

It was his plan. None of the others were shy in pointing out the flaws of it but in lack of a different one, they went with it. He had yet to get Nemec to get his own hands dirty, it would really be the cherry on top, but the man-bunned asshat kept his distance.

"So what is it, are they sick of you?" Nemec asked, lifting his head to look Marcus in the eyes. 

The hacker didn't reply.

"Is your tiny group of idiots falling apart? I mean I know the masked pyro left you guys. And who knows how much time the old dude has left. And now you're on your own too? Seems like the rat problem is taking care of itself."

It was just the two of them for once and Marcus allowed himself to take a deep breath, the prospect of not getting beaten or kicked was very welcome right now. He was pretty sure at least one of his ribs was broken.

"You see, Marcus, I'm not sure I trust your words."

The man in question looked up in shock. They had been too careful to fuck this up, hadn't they?

"Why would I lie about it? If I was with them, they'd probably try and get me out, wouldn't they?" he tried to give his voice a nonchalant tone. 

Nemec smiled at him but it was a threatening, shark-like grin that made the other man shiver. The brunette took out his phone and pressed a button on it.

"Yeah, bring him in."

Marcus head whipped around in the direction of the door that opened, revealing his suited gorilla-friend, dragging along someone he didn't expect to see again. At least not any time soon. 

Nemec's gorilla shoved Wrench so he landed at Marcus' feet, avoiding looking at him. 

He wasn't wearing his masks, they had probably taken it from him when they grabbed him. 

Marcus' thoughts spiralled.

Why was he here? How did he find him? He was going to ruin the whole operation. 

"Do you two not want to say hello to each other?" Nemec teased. 

"I don't have anything to say to him," Marcus answered when Wrench finally looked up to him. 

Marcus could practically see the anxiety. His lips were chapped and bloody, probably from chewing on them constantly, his eyes bloodshot and tired and the bags under them almost as dark as the mask usually hiding them. 

He looked like shit. 

Parts of Marcus were a little satisfied because he did deserve to feel like shit after making him feel the same way. The more illogical parts of him were shocked, worried and aching. He had missed Wrench so much, it was pathetic. 

"Trouble in paradise?" Nemec asked and Marcus wanted to punch the self-righteous smile off his face. Wrench didn't say anything, just kept looking at Marcus with those sad eyes. 

"Break his arm," Nemec told the man whose foot was resting on Wrench's lower back after not receiving a reaction from either of the hacktivists. 

"What? No, wait!" Marcus was fighting against his restraints, trying to pull away from them but without any luck. Wrench once again didn't react up until the sound of breaking bones filled the office, followed by him trying to conceal his pained outcry. 

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! What is your plan here anyway? You can't just do this shit without any repercussions, the minute we get out of here, your life will be over!" Marcus yelled furiously, his eyes switching from looking at the anarchist winding himself in pain to the grinning man-bun owner. 

"How naïve of you to think you will get out of here! No, Marcus,  _ your _ life will be over. Play with fire, get burned. The feds should be busting your friend's asses by now and for the two of you we will figure out something special. What did you think, that you could keep me side tracked until you could get all up in my business? I'm not stupid."

"No, of course not. Dušan Nemec is not stupid. Just a fucking coward who lets his bodyguards do all his dirty work!" Marcus fired back. This was it, the final attempt to get a reaction out of him. And he succeeded.

Nemec walked over there, wrapping his hand around Marcus' throat, cutting off his air while he leaned in closer, staring at him. None of his exterior was calm or collected anymore. Apparently Marcus had struck a nerve.

"Don't ever fucking call me a coward!"

Marcus gasped for air and saw out of the corner of his eyes how Wrench tried to get out of the other man's grip, trying to get Nemec off of him. He felt his vision blur. 

"Stop it, you're killing him!" Wrench cried out, suddenly shut up by a blow to his head that knocked him out, just as Marcus lost his consciousness.

***

Marcus woke up to Sitara yelling. Not at him, he noticed, not without feeling a little comforted by that. 

The room he woke up in was dimly lit and familiar and if there hadn’t been a stabbing pain around his ribs accompanied by his aching throat and Sitara’s tirade, he would have allowed himself to drift back into whatever state of unconsciousness he had emerged from. 

“You could have fucked everything up! Not only was it extremely dangerous, it was selfish and stupid!”

Marcus sat up, groaning in pain, as he took in the room and the people in it, identifying Wrench as the one getting lectured by Sitara. He was sitting on a chair in front of his workbench and the familiarity of that picture stabbed Marcus worse than any broken rib could. 

“Lay off of him, will you?” Marcus said, noticing how gruff his voice sounded, his hand reaching up to his throat, feeling bruised skin under his fingers.

“Marcus Holloway don’t you dare take his side on this. He acted irresponsibly and without thinking things through!”

“I don’t know, sounds like classic Wrench to me?” he tried to lighten the mood but Sitara shot him a threatening glance, making him shut up. 

“Here, bite on this. I need to set the bones in your arm and it’s gonna hurt,” she brought her attention back to Wrench who hadn’t said anything yet and generally seemed pretty out of it. He was white as a wall, holding onto his mask with his uninjured hand like life depended on it. 

Apparently Sitara had seen him without it before which would explain why he didn’t make a big deal out of it during the video call and why he wasn’t wearing it right now either. It was still strange to Marcus how there was so much he didn’t know about his friends and their past. 

Wrench put his mask aside to accept the wooden spoon from Sitata - where did she even get that? - and did as he was told. The sound that left his lips when Sitara did set his arm straight was still gruesome and he spat out the spoon, breathing heavily while the street artist started bandaging his arm. 

“We had everything under control until you decided to play… Well I wouldn’t call you a hero because wow, you sucked at that. Good thing we live streamed the whole thing, otherwise you would have ruined the whole operation. Now we have a whole different problem as we only disguised Marcus’ face because we didn’t fucking expect you idiot to show up there and maskless too!”

Sitara’s last sentence inspired a reaction from Wrench whose eyes widened in shock as he whispered: “Live Streamed?”

“Of course, how the fuck did you think we managed to get you two out of there?!”

Even Marcus could see the sweat on Wrench’s forehead from all the way across the room. 

“You gotta leave. Tell the others. You’re all in danger,” Wrench urged and Sitara’s attitude changed. As much as she tried to stay angry at Wrench, as much as she tried to act cold and unbothered, seeing the sheer panic on his face was unsettling. 

“Wrench… What do you mean? What aren’t you telling us?”

His head whipped around to look at Marcus. 

“The reason why I left San Francisco. They said you’d be safe as long as I didn’t come back. Now they definitely know I’m back and you’re all in danger. Please, I can’t explain right now, you have to call Ray and Josh and get somewhere safe!”

“What about you?” Marcus asked, not yet convinced. 

“There is no way for you to be safe when I’m with you. I’m going to go talk to them and end this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all just accept that Sitara is the mom friend, right? The one patching them back up and lecturing them because she has the braincells?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, got suddenly kicked in the guts by depression. Also a late happy halloween to anyone reading this.
> 
> TW: descriptions of past torture

“Yeah no. Not going to happen. Talk. Then we’ll maybe think about it,” Marcus demanded, standing in Wrench’s way in front of the staircase leading up. 

"Marcus, please, you have to trust me on this!" Wrench begged, holding his broken arm with his uninjured one. He wasn't making a very compelling argument standing there, shaky as hell, looking lost. 

"Trust?!" Marcus couldn't hide the hurt in his voice, nor did he try to. He heard Sitara huff at Wrench's words as well but she seemed content with the amount of yelling she had done for a day and simply sat down a little further away from where they were standing. 

"I didn't want to hurt you, the opposite actually! I couldn't keep you safe unless I let you go and I know I didn't explain it and I know it was fucking terrible but I would do it again if it meant you'd be safe. I love you, Marcus and I am so fucking sorry. But I really need you to get the hell out of this place and maybe even out of this city. Can you do this one thing for me? I promise I will explain everything. Just right now, time is running out. They probably already know I'm here and that means you're in danger."

Wrench turned around to Sitara, addressing her as well, trying to get at least one of them to listen. 

"I don't know what the fuck is going on and trusting you is really far from what I can see myself doing right now," Marcus said and Wrench visibly deflated in front of him, "But I know one thing. I won't let you do this alone."

Wrench sighed deeply.

"You both are really beat up from like an hour ago. If you think I'll watch you attempt some dangerous shit alone, you're wrong. Grab your mask, I'll call the others," Sitara let the anarchist know.

"But-" 

"No but. You're still family. Like it or not," Sitara ended the discussion once and for all. 

***

"So where are we going?" Ray asked, turning around in the driver's seat to take a look at the rest of them. Sitara was sitting in the passenger's seat, Josh, Marcus and Wrench in the back.

Wrench was so nervous, he was practically vibrating, occasionally twitching.

"We need to know, Wrench," Marcus said, putting a hand on the masked hacker's shoulder, feeling how much he was shaking. 

"The Bratva. I was working for the Bratva before I joined DedSec."

"How did you get out?" Josh interrupted the sudden silence that had fallen over them like a heavy blanket, "I've never met anyone who got out before."

Wrench laughed dryly.

"They didn't know me as Wrench. For them, I was someone else who simply vanished one day. A casualty, probably stabbed and left to bleed to death in some dark alleyway. The mask helped but about a week before Aiden called, I accidentally stumbled across someone from before. I don't know how they found me, they don't know about… About some things I went through since I got out. It's just that my stupid birthmark isn't exactly common. The guy who recognised me, he threatened me, told me if I didn't leave he'd snitch and the Bratva would destroy everything and everyone I care about."

"If he hadn't shown up, would you have taken Aiden's offer?" Marcus asked, still processing. 

"I… I don't know," Wrench answered truthfully, "There was always that knowledge in the back of my head. About what I'd done. About how they would find me eventually. But if I hadn't been threatened with you all… I wouldn't have turned my back on any of you. I swear, it was just because I wanted to protect you. And maybe because I was scared and selfish."

"So when you first showed up at the Hackerspace… You weren't just excited to get to work, you were scared," Sitara murmured.

Wrench nodded. 

"It was really weird because I grew up around them, I didn't know anything but violence and crime. And when I met you, when you all became my family… It was overwhelming at first," Wrench took a shaky breath. 

Marcus didn't think before he pulled him close, hugging him without squishing Wrench's arm or his ribs. 

"Why didn't you tell us?!" he asked, a hint of bitterness in his voice. He could have spared them all so much pain. 

"I couldn't. I knew you would have tried to fight them. They're too many."

Wrench finally returned the hug, taking deep breaths, getting even more emotional over the fact that Marcus had chosen to hug him. That he didn't despise him, even after knowing these details about his past. 

"Well hiding ain't an option anymore," Ray said, looking up from his phone, "They just blew up your garage."

Marcus pulled away from Wrench and the masked hacker suppressed a noise of discomfort. 

"Anyone got an idea what to do?" the hipster asked, looking into clueless faces.

"They don't keep records, do they?" Josh asked, raising his shoulders.

Wrench shook his head, not sure where the other man was going with his question. 

"So the only way for them to know about Wrench… Is spoken words. So if we manage to get rid of everyone who knows about his involvement, the problem solves itself, doesn't it?"

"And how do we identify all of them? We don't know who could have spread the word and if we miss one of them, we have to start at zero again," Sitara interjected.

"First, we deal with everyone Wrench remembers. After that, we bait everyone who possibly remains."

"How?" Ray asked.

Marcus, Wrench and Josh shared a look. 

"I'm the bait, Ray," Wrench explained.

"Oh."

***

"Do you think you can ever forgive me?" 

Marcus was holding Wrench's mask in his hands while the other man was looking at him, still pale, still anxious. 

"Do you think I would let you do this thinking I hate you?" Marcus asked in return, one hand reaching out to gently caress Wrench's cheek.

"I killed people for them, M."

"You didn't do it voluntarily, did you?"

"No… They… They punished me if I didn't comply. Beat me. Locked me in for days, without food or water. Cut my skin open after it just healed. But I didn't refuse anymore after some time. I should have kept refusing."

The tears started falling from Wrench's eyes and he tried to blink them away but there were too many. 

"Stop it. They fucking tortured you. What matters is that you refused in the first place. And you got out. You wouldn't have left if you didn't know what they do was wrong. Do you understand?"

Wrench sobbed and pulled Marcus close, ignoring the pain in his bandaged arm that got caught between them. 

"I'm sorry. I never should have let you go," the blond whispered and Marcus squeezed him lightly. 

"Luckily for you, I'm right here. And I don't plan on going anywhere."

Sitara was calling over to them from their van parked next to a large shipping container. They were at the harbour, the containers a good cover for the team, the water one less side to look out for.

"It's time," the street artist let them know and they hesitantly let go of each other. 

Wrench's heart was beating out of his chest. 

"We uploaded the video and attached the location. Everyone who will recognise you is probably going to show up. We're right here, Pearce, Honey and a bunch of others from DedSec UK are in direct communication with us. You did make some friends over there. There's fake charges we generated in advance, we just have to stall them until they get arrested. Josh sent an anonymous tip to the police and we're armed if things go sideways," Marcus tried to reassure the other man. 

"I'd feel safer with my mask…" Wrench murmured, receiving an apologetic but sympathetic smile from Marcus. 

"I know."

Getting Wrench to record a video without his mask and posting the video had been one of the most complicated parts of their plan yet and they had already dethroned at least four major bosses in the Bratva rows. Not to mention one of their hideouts blowing up in response to the blown-up garage. 

"What if the cops are corrupt? What if the Bratva spot you? What if someone gets away?"

Marcus pressed a quick kiss to Wrench's cheek, hoping to stop his flood of questions and reassure him somehow.

"We're prepared. This is ending tonight."

"Marcus, come on, you gotta hurry!" Sitara rushed them. 

Wrench nodded, more to himself than to Marcus but signalled him to follow Sitara's call. 

"I love you," he said, before Marcus was completely out of sight. The other man turned back around.

"I love you too. Don't worry. Everything will be alright."

That's what they hoped. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have anything clever to say here. Tell me something interesting (and/or if you liked this)?


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mistyped Wrench as French and I think that's kind of funny.
> 
> Sorry this is kinda short, my uni semester just started again and the election anxiety as well as general anxiety have kept me busy and awake ✨ for like a week ✨

They had done a solid job. 

Thanks to the help of DedSec London as well as their own work beforehand, only a handful of people showed up to the meeting point.

"It's going to be fine," Sitara commented on Marcus who was anxiously glued to the screens inside the van, not taking his eyes off of Wrench.

"Hey, who's that guy? He seems familiar…" Ray leaned over Josh's shoulder and pointed at a man in a suit walking closer to the anarchist. 

Marcus stopped staring at his friend to check the newcomers, recognising the one Ray had pointed out. 

"That's Alan Jablonsky. Fuck, if he knows Wrench is DedSec-"

"He's toast," Sitara finished the sentence, "No matter what, Marcus, you have to stay here. He can't see you. Do you understand?"

Marcus shifted nervously, avoiding Sitara's eyes. 

"How many are there now, Josh?"

"Twelve. They're surrounding him but we still got the boat ready should he make a run for it, the road to the water is clear." 

"Marcus," Sitara warned. 

Jablonsky walked closer to Wrench. They couldn't hear what they were talking about and the camera quality wasn't the best but even under these circumstances, Wrench looked intimidated. 

"Guns?" Marcus asked, his leg started bouncing in an attempt to release some pent up frustration.

"Ten of them are armed with at least five machine guns spread out between them."

"Where are the fucking Cops?!"

Wrench took a step backwards, raising his hands in front of him, apparently trying to defuse the situation.

"We could blow up the rigged container but I'm not sure if that would help Wrench," Sitara started chewing on her nails, realised what she did and forced herself to stop.

"We need to do something, the longer this goes on, the higher the probability they'll suspect something. Or try and take him somewhere and I'm not risking that."

Marcus looked at Sitara, a serious expression on his face, only for a second, before he looked back at the screen, unable to look away from Wrench. 

Suddenly a shot echoed through the air, close enough to be heard by the DedSec members as well as the people spread out around the harbour and something exploded right in front of Wrench, throwing him to the ground in a small blast. 

Marcus didn't think.

He saw blood, saw Wrench go down and the men surrounding him scattering, running away in all kinds of directions, while he yanked open the van door, threw himself out of the vehicle and started running. He didn't care about a possible sniper still up on one of the containers, he just ran until he reached Wrench.

Blue light flashed up, illuminating the anarchist's unmoving features. Marcus sank to his knees, reaching for Wrench's pierced through vest, blood still oozing from the chest wound. 

The Cops had arrived. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's probably one more chapter to come? also could you tell I haven't played the DLC (yet)?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terribly sorry this took so long. My new semester has started and my schedule is absolutely insane haha. Anyway!

"Aiden Pearce sends his regards."

Marcus turned around in shock, staring into the eyes of a stranger he'd never seen before, holding a sniper rifle. 

"What?" he whispered in confusion before the man vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

"Are they gone?"

Upon hearing a different male's voice, he spun around once more.

"Wrench?"

The anarchist's eyes were open, the blue of them a stark contrast to the red splatters on his pale skin. 

"Are they?"

Marcus nodded, his mouth was wide open while he tried his best to work through his current mental state. 

"What the fuck just happened?!"

Wrench reached out his arm and Marcus grabbed it to help him up automatically, still staring with his eyes and mouth wide open.

"We faked my death. I know you guys had a plan and everything but this was easier to pull off and well, to be honest, it was Aiden's idea. He told me like fifteen minutes ago and I'm really sorry I didn't tell you and-" 

Wrench couldn't finish his explanation because Marcus pulled him into a hug, so tight, it hurt both of them but neither dared to pull away. 

"I thought you were dead. I thought I lost you," the hipster murmured and Wrench felt his tears soak through his sweatshirt. He just hugged back tighter, causing both of them to let out a small noise of pain. 

They heard footsteps approaching, suddenly surrounded by the rest of the team. Hesitantly, Wrench pulled away first but Marcus didn't let him go completely, holding on to one of his hands as they faced the group.

"I could punch you. Both of you, actually," Sitara murmured but her facial expression was soft and relieved. She decided to grab each of their cheeks instead, pinching lightly but affectionately. 

"How..?" Ray asked, clearly confused, eying the red splatters on Wrench's vest that had transferred partially to Marcus' shirt as well. 

"They shot me with a paintball gun. Which I don't recommend, by the way, it definitely hurts," Wrench pulled a goofy face and Marcus felt like his heart was bursting in his chest as he hadn't seen the other man joke in ages. 

"Smart. Of course, faking your death was a sensible choice," Josh added, nodding appreciatively. 

Wrench nodded, biting his bottom lip before speaking up once again: "Guys I… I'm sorry. You're my family and I love you all, I never should have lied to you. Or turned my back on you. Can you forgive me?"

The group exchanged looks the anarchist couldn't interpret and he felt his anxiety levels rise.

"Do you have any London plans?"

Sitara's question caught him off guard, did he have London plans? Had Pearce's involvement been a parting gift? He couldn't say. 

"Personally I don't want to go back unless it's for Sightseeing purposes but I guess it depends on Aiden?"

Sitara nodded, mouth pressed into a thin line as a text alert made Wrench's phone buzz. He pulled it out and his face lit up. Turning to Marcus he said: "He thanked me for my work but decided to replace me with someone else!"

"And you're happy about getting replaced?" Ray asked jokingly.

"I'm staying. I'm back home," Wrench murmured, tears gleaming in his eyes. 

"Welcome back, you dumbass," Sitara laughed and lightly boxed him against the hip. He was smiling widely now. They all more or less welcomed him back to the team before slowly slipping away back to the Van to leave him and Marcus alone. 

"So… Do you think you'll grow sick of my face since you'll see me on a daily basis now?" Wrench asked flirtily but he felt insecure. Marcus hadn't said anything since his apology. 

"You're an idiot," the other man replied, bursting into laughter, making Wrench giggle too before he sighed in relief, letting his head fall against Marcus' chest, breathing in his familiar smell, a warm feeling settling in his stomach. 

Marcus wrapped his arms around Wrench once again, gently caressing the back of his head, his shoulders, his lower back. 

"I missed you so much," Wrench murmured against his chest. 

He lifted his head to be able to look at Marcus properly, straightening his back so he was eye to eye with him. 

"I love you, Marcus Holloway. And I hope I didn't completely fuck this up because I don't think I can go back to just being friends."

"Who said we're friends?" Marcus asked with a straight face and Wrench almost stumbled backwards, only caught by Marcus' arms, Marcus, who had started to laugh again, earning an eye roll from Wrench. 

"Fuck you," the anarchist said before Marcus connected their lips and made him shut up. 

***

Marcus woke up to really quiet crying. 

He turned around, opening his eyes. It took a moment for them to get used to the darkness but soon he could make out his boyfriend's silhouette, he was laying on his back, shaken by silent sobs. 

"Hey babe, why didn't you wake me?" Marcus inched closer to the other man, a hand on his cheek, thumb brushing away some tears. 

Wrench just shook his head.

"Another nightmare?"

He nodded, taking shallow breaths, reaching for Marcus' hand to interlace their fingers. 

Marcus felt some sudden weight on the mattress and soon enough the cause showed up, purring and meowing loudly before the tiny, striped cat sat down in Wrench's lap, demanding cuddles by headbutting Wrench aggressively. 

"Attention whore," Marcus scolded, already seeing Wrench calm down. An emotional support kitty, ridiculous. In theory. In reality, Nugget (all Wrench) was the best idea Marcus had had. 

He had stumbled across her during a mission and Wrench didn't shut up until he took her with him, promising to pick the masked hacker up and bring her to a vet to find her owners. 

"She's homeless, M! We can't just drop her off at a shelter, look at her, she's so tiny, she'll get eaten by the others!" Wrench had protested, holding the small bundle of fur against his chest, careful not to hurt her. 

"Cats don't eat other cats, Wrench…"

Damn Wrench and his puppy dog eyes. Even with his mask on, Marcus couldn't say no to the other man. 

"Fine but she's your responsibility," he had given in and Wrench had cheered in joy. 

Nugget had been living with them for about two months now and Marcus really grew to like her annoying meows, her rubbing against his leg whenever she was hungry and even the scratching on his bed frame waking him in the middle of the night didn't bother him anymore. Plus, Nugget had a very special feel for Wrench's nightmares or panic attacks, doing a better job grounding him than Marcus could. 

He totally wasn't jealous of a cat comforting his boyfriend better than he could. What a silly thought. 

Wrench's tears had stopped but he was still holding Marcus' hand, stroking Nugget with his other hand. 

"Do you want to talk about it?"

For a moment, only Nugget's purring filled the room until Wrench decided to speak, his voice a little husky.

"It's stupid. I know I got out, I know they don't even know I'm alive but it's like my subconsciousness doesn't care. This one was especially cruel, they… They found us and they started hurting you, making me watch and-" Wrench gasped, sucking in his breath sharply seemingly tormented by the memories once again. 

"Shh. Take your time. I'm here."

Wrench squeezed his hand gratefully, taking a deep breath, shuddering lightly. Nugget's purr got louder. 

"I kept asking them to stop, to let you go but they didn't listen and you were screaming in pain and I knew it was all my fault. For getting too close, for endangering you."

"Hey! No, we're not going there, do you understand? I know what I got myself into when we started dating. I know about your past, about your struggles, about your fears. And I would fall in love with you all over again without a single moment of hesitation. Because I love every part of you even if you can't love them yourself. And your dreams aren't stupid, you went through a lot. But I'm here for you, okay?"

Wrench nodded, holding back tears.

"Good," Marcus said, pressing a kiss to his forehead before letting go of his hand to be able to reach his nightstand. 

He opened the small drawer and took something out of it before turning back to Wrench. 

"In fact… I've been meaning to ask this for a long time now and I think it's stupid trying to find the perfect moment because every moment with you is perfect because I get to spend it with you. So… Wrench, will you marry me?"

Wrench jumped in shock, much to Nugget's dismay, she complained with an angry yell before sitting down at their feet.

"Fuck."

Marcus raised his eyebrows, switching on the bedside table lamp, looking at the other man. 

"Never heard that reply to that question before," he laughed nervously, fumbling with the box. 

"I- No- I mean not no but- Give me a minute!"

Wrench threw the covers aside recklessly as he jumped out of bed, searching for his jeans on the floor, picking them up. He fiddled with one of the pockets, then the other one, then threw the jeans back to the ground, grabbing his vest to repeat the game from before. 

Marcus watched him until he threw himself back onto the bed, kneeling, his shaking hands holding up a silver ring, resembling a nut but only the slightest bit. 

"I know it's not super pretty but I made it myself and I've been carrying it around forever because I know you're a sappy romantic at heart and I was… Well. Waiting for the perfect moment. You said it much better than I did but Marcus… Will you marry me? Can I ask that without answering your question? I mean the question kind of implies an answer and I guess-" Wrench started rambling but Marcus rolled his eyes and pulled him closer, so he could kiss him. 

"Yes. Yes I will marry you."

Nugget angrily flicked her tail, watching them exchange rings and cuddle up, excitedly chatting about scrapped plans and ring inspirations and what the team might think and on and on. 

And just like that, that night had lost its horror. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What would Wrench name a cat actually? 
> 
> I gotta get up in 5 hours uhm if you noticed any weird words (my autocorrect changed whore to white???) please let me know? 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this rather wild ride, thanks so much for reading I hope you have a great day <3

**Author's Note:**

> Come scream with me on twitter (ajayalive) or instagram (also ajayalive).
> 
> Comments and kudos make my day!


End file.
